Interconnections allow communications between various electronic devices that form an electronic system. An electronic system can be thought of as a hierarchical interconnection network that can include up to six generally accepted levels of interconnection. The six levels include interconnections between: (1) chip bonding pads to a package leadframe, device substrate, a circuit board, or an LCD or display substrate; (2) an electronic component and a printed circuit board (PCB); (3) a first PCB and a second PCB; (4) a first subassembly and a second subassembly; (5) a subassembly and the input-output (I/O) for a system; (6) an electronic system and a peripheral device.
For example, to electrically connect an electronic component such as an integrated circuit (IC) to a PCB, a permanent solder or adhesive joint can be used. Alternatively, a conventional component socket or “interposer,” consisting of sockets to receive the pins or pads of the IC on one side and the pins or pads of the PCB on the other side can be used. A conventional component socket can have thousands of connections. Failure of any one of the individual contacts in the IC, the PCB, or the component socket can result in failure of the entire assembly. Conventional interconnects including torsion wire contacts, compressive spring wire contacts, and pogo pin contacts are often unreliable and can cause short assembly lives. One solution to this problem is to use metal (solder) bonds or conductive adhesive, which of course renders the interconnect permanent and thereby makes removal of the IC or separation of the IC-component socket-PCB difficult and expensive.
Thus, there is a need to overcome these and other problems of the prior art to provide interconnects and methods for electrical connection that enable higher reliability in high density electronic assemblies.